Cheap Airport Parking: Luton Airport hints, tips and local parking

tushingham

Hi All,

Thought I'd share my recent parking experience and hope it will be useful for someone. Many thanks to squidworth for the excellent second post in this thread.

I chose to park at Luton Airport Parkway train station following advice on this thread.
I arrived at luton aiport parkway station at around 2pm on a Thursday using my sat nav to direct me there v easily. The multistory NCP car park was quite obvious as you drive the last bit down to the station.

The car park has entry and exit barriers and an office (manned most of the day). Well lit and seemed as secure as most of these car parks usually are. There were plenty of spaces, particularly on the higher levels, when I arrived at 2pm. The spaces are not too cramped and nor is the driving space and the corners/ramps are not too tight.

I left the car park by the signposted exit and walked the minute or two to the station entrance where there are a clear queue of buses for the airport. I just missed one pulling out but theres always one waiting so i jumped on board. It left after no more than 10mins. The cost was £1.50 single or £2.50 for return trip.
The trip to the station took 6-7mins and the return journey (late sun night) took 5-6mins. Drops you off quite near the airport entrance (max. 2mins walk).

I flew back to Luton Airport at around 23.30 on the Sunday night and after grabbing a coffee i then headed out to the place the us dropped me at midnight-ish). I think buses are less frequent at that time but it was pulling up as I got there. Used my return ticket and bus left after 15mins or so of waiting. Took 5-6mins.

Walked back to parking and paid at machine on the way into carpark.
Total cost of 2pm thurs to around 12.20am on early monday morning was £14. I thought this was great price and total cost including bus was therefore £16.50

I was out of the carpark and on my way home by 12.30am.

Hope that helps someone.

T

thepedestrian

Looking to park in Luton for 8 days in April this year - the Parkaway carpark sounds ok

- but if I work out the tarrif correctly, would be £46 plus bus shuttle ( 6 x £7 weekdays 2x £2 weekend ) then I have read theres a 2 minute walk at the airport ( partner not good on her legs at moment ) 8 days = £51 ?

have found 2 or 3 "meet and greet" offers for £54 ( have heard that some of them just shuffle cars around all the free spots in Luton anyway though )

even "parkonmydriveway" comes to just over £30 with free transfers being a little hit and miss - and not insured if you notice a door ding later on that day in the daylight :cool:

toadhall

Hi
need some advice please. I'm going to need parking from early hours on a Monday to the Tuesday evening (surprise city break) in March but I cant work out which is going to be cheaper, prebooking or paying when I get there.
OH walks with crutches so he can't walk far, is there a shuttle bus at 1am and which car park do I choose.

Thanks

zipady_do

Hi toadhall, I'd always suggest prebooking if you're going to park at an airport car park, ultimatley it's much cheaper and can save you something between 30-60% most of the time on the turn up prices.

By prebooking you can also book a meet & greet service where a chauffeur meets you at the airport and will take your car off to their car park whilst you go through to check-in. Would suggest that with someone with crutches, but if you want to get a shuttle bus, go to any of the big airport parking sites (i personally use http://www.airport-parking-quote.co.uk) and you input your times and see Car parks that are open to you around that time.

soosiemm

I've just checked the Parkway entry on parkopedia.

This says that the maximum stay is 24 hours presumably to deter long term airport parking on the cheap. Has anyone been fined/'disciplined' for this?

buglawton

Where does it say "maximum" can you paste in the description you see?

bransoj

soosiemm wrote: »

I've just checked the Parkway entry on parkopedia.

This says that the maximum stay is 24 hours presumably to deter long term airport parking on the cheap. Has anyone been fined/'disciplined' for this?

It's open 24hrs a day but I don't think it's a maximum of 24hrs parking. Lots park there when going to London on the train etc so a maximum of 24hrs would make it useless.

soosiemm

It comes up under the Details tab as follows (the opening time is clearly wrong 13.00 to 23.30???):



Rail Off Peak Weekday - after 10am
Evening Rate 1700-2000
Type: Pay on Exit, Multi-Storey
Features: CCTV, Safer Parking Award
Payments accepted: Cards
Height restrictions: 6' 11" (2.10m)
Maximum stay 24 hoursMon-Fri 13:00-23:30Sat 24 hoursSun 24 hours£3.00 / 24 hours (off-peak)£2.00 / bank holiday
Last updated: Aug 2011

soosiemm

Well thanks for that reassurance. Not so many thanks for reliable info/reliable English language on Parkopedia.

I'll try it out. I know the bus connection is excellent. You wouldn't happen to know what time the earliest bus starts? My flights are ridiculously early.

bransoj

soosiemm wrote: »

Well thanks for that reassurance. Not so many thanks for reliable info/reliable English language on Parkopedia.

I'll try it out. I know the bus connection is excellent. You wouldn't happen to know what time the earliest bus starts? My flights are ridiculously early.

Bus is every 10mins between 5am and midnight. That said give yourself plenty of time as it can get busy early on. We were on one of the first buses and queued a good chunk of the way in as there is no bus lane to the airport.